The Senate Guard
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Galaxy at War See also: GaW Military Units The Senate Guard has existed as long as the Galactic Senate itself. Artwork from the Republic's early centuries shows mute, motionless Guardsmen at the signing of every treaty, their weapons a testament that the Republic was prepared to use force if diplomacy failed. The uniforms and gear of the Guard changes from century to century, but two elements keep recurring: the color blue (The same hue as the robes worn by the first Supreme Chancellor) and a helmet design reminiscent of the Notron Centurions. The Senate Guard began as a bodyguard detail, but grew into a capital police force. As it did so, it began to attract the best law-enforcement officers away from Coruscant police forces and training academies, leading to open hostility between The Senate Guard and The Galactic City Police. The situation worsened when The Senate Guard put the entire Legislative District under its jurisdiction. The move, however, is necessary. To protect the thousands of Senators who live and work in the district (Not to mention the Supreme Chancellor), The Senate Guard needs to cover an area much broader than the Grand Convocation Chamber. Colloquially called The Blue Guard (And, less frequently, The Republican Guard), The Senate Guard is inevitably influenced by the politicians it protects. Like the Senate itself, the Guard increasingly becomes a legacy system, with sons and daughters of current officers afforded privileged positions in the Guards' Academy on Coruscant. Corruption begins to infect the ranks, with affluent Senators quietly paying their Guards to look the other way while they conduct under-the-table business. At the same time, loyal members of the Guard work to root out their crooked comrades with a robust internal affairs department. The Guard also distinguishes itself with some of the best investigative and forensics work in the capital. The Senate Commandos are the elite members of an already elite force. Drawn from The Senate Guard's ranks, these top-scoring combat experts make up a special-missions force assigned to high-security details and other risky assignments. Wearing customized field armor, The Senate Commandos face down some of the galaxy's deadliest hired killers and bounty hunters. The Senate Commandos become Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's personal bodyguards following his election in 32 BBY. After the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Palpatine hand-selects the most loyal members of The Senate Commandos to create a new bodyguard detail known as The Red Guard. The Senate Guard continues in a somewhat diminished role, undergoing a change in uniform that exchanges helmet crests for face-masking visors. Once the Empire takes root, security in the capital falls under two divisions: The Imperial Royal Guard, dedicated to protecting the Emperor, and The Coruscant Guard, charged with investigative work and military-policing. Former members of The Senate Guard are employed within both divisions. The Emperor also creates a secret security legion known as The Imperial Senate Guard, although it has no connection to its obsolete namesake. This division (And its subgroup, The Imperial Senate Sentinels) carried Lightsaber Pikes and were widely believed to be Cyborg Hybrids. Methods The Senate Guard and Senate Commandos exist only to protect the galactic legislative. In its most public form, this requires countless hours of standing at attention inside a Senate platform or in the corridors of a diplomatic Starship. But Guard responsibilities extend far beyond bodyguard detail. Guards are required to protect their charges from all possible dangers, which requires relentless investigative work to root out threats before they become malignant. Senate Guards spend a great deal of time patrolling the Legislative District, questioning citizens and following up on leads. Advanced intelligence-gathering missions sometimes require them to go undercover. When in public, Senate Guards wear their distinctive blue uniforms. They keep an eye on demonstrations, usher their senatorial charges to safe havens, and occasionally pose for holoimages for tourists. Their Blaster Rifles, although considered largely ceremonial, are surprisingly accurate from long range and feature a Stun setting and a barrel that can double as a Stun Bayonet. All Guard members are drilled in the Hijkata martial arts discipline, and they often carry Force Pikes. Senate Commandos dispense with the symbolic robes and helmets. They wear flexible blue armor that is blaser resistant and resembles that worn by the Republic's Clone Troopers. Senate Commandos do not typically operate in the Grand Convocation Chamber or the Legislative District. They are much more likely to be found offworld, accompanying Senators to Space Station transfer hubs or hostile planets in need of diplomatic attention. They remain alert for any attempts on their charges' lives, relying on sophisticated sensors built into their helmets to analyze crowds and on their DC-15 Blaster Rifles and tactical Thermal Detonators to end trouble in a hurry. Missions A Senate Guard mission is often reactionary. It's a split-second response to immediate danger, followed by a lengthy and meticulous investigation to bring all plotters to justice. Because countless powers would love to influence galactic legislation, assassination attempts are common, and most take place in the narrow streets between the Grand Convocation Chamber and the senatorial residences. Even more frequent are attempts to win Senators over through bribery. Senate Guards are expected to report all suspicious dealings to their superior officers, even when it puts their own lives at risk. By contrast, a Senate Commando mission is combustible, aggressive, and unpredictable. Senate Commandos protect their charges during visits to worlds where battles are raging or where native lifeforms can present a danger. Commandos also repel boarders should an ambassadorial Starship be breached by raiders. On the rare occasions that Coruscant is invaded by hostile armies, Senate Commandos are the last line of defense protecting the Supreme Chancellor. When the Senate isn't in session, most Senate Guards and Senate Commandos occupy themselves with police work. In this capacity, they often work alongside The Jedi; the two groups are technically part of the Republic Judicial Department. Daily duties include crowd control, crime scene investigation, street patrols, and putting down uprisings from the Undercity. The most famous duty of The Senate Guard is to provide security inside the legislative's Grand Convocation Chamber. This tradition is considered healthy dull by most members of the Guard, since the chamber's defenses are some of the tightest in the galaxy and no threat is likely to manifest within its walls. Senate Guards, however, remain vigilant. Rank Structure New recruits to The Senate Guard come from the graduating class of the Guards' Academy on Coruscant. The candidates are dominated by members with family connections, although acceptance is extended to distinguished members of recognized planetary law-enforcement divisions. These more experienced enrollees undergo a shortened academy program. The Senate Guard follows a military ranking system, and fresh academy graduates receive the rank of Private. Their duties take place in the vicinity of Senate Guard Headquarters, where they oversee the processing of prisoners and suspect profiling. Corporals do more street-level work and are assigned to a task force that protects a prominent Senator, a small group of less-notable Senators, or a special government VIP. Sergeants oversee the security of the Grand Convocation Chamber and make assignments to bodyguard details. Lieutenants lead squads of two to four Guard members, and Commanders lead task forces made up of six to 10 Guard members. The person who oversees all Senate Guard personnel assigned to the Grand Convocation Chamber is known as the Sergeant at Arms; he or she is seated next to the Supreme Chancellor. The highest ranking member of The Senate Guard is the Captain of the Guard. He or she answers to a special Senate committee charged with supervising Guard affairs, as well as to all cabinet-level officials in the Republic Judicial Department. The leader of The Senate Commandos is a Captain. All Senate Commandos are volunteers from The Senate Guard who pass a brutal four weeks of additional combat training. They are usually deployed in squads, taking orders from their commander but always deferring to the person they are protecting (Except in matters concerning their harge's safety). All members of the Guards and the Commandos, of course, ultimately serve at the pleasure of the Supreme Chancellor. Senate Guard Heroic Units See also: Heroic Units The Rise of the Empire Era See also: The Rise of the Empire Era The Rebellion Era See also: The Rebellion Era The New Jedi Order Era See also: The New Jedi Order Era Senate Guard Nonheroic Units See also: Nonheroic Units